Means for charging storage batteries.



' S. G. LANGLEY.

MEANS FOR CHARGING STORAGE BATTERIES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I8, 1912.

Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

jlflllllllF f5 S. G. LANGLEY.

MEANS FOR CHARGING STORAGE BATTERIES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18. I912.

1 ,21 5,309. Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAM G. LANGLEY, OF WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, "ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN-MENTS, TO NEW JERSEY PATENT COMPANY, OF WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ACORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

MEANS FOR CHARGING STORAGE BATTERIES.

1,215,309 Specification of Letters Patent. 1 Patented Feb. 6, 191%Application filed June is, 1912. Serial No. 704,333.

To all whom it may concern: Fig. i is a plan view of the same, with 55Be it known that I, SAM G. LANGLEY, the contacts open; a citizen of theUnited States, and. a resi- Fig. 5 is a vertical View at-right anglesdent of West Orange, in the county of Est the View of Fig. 3, the upperportion sex and State of New Jersey, have invented being sectional andthe lower .portion in certain new and useful Improvements in elevation;and Means for Charging Storage Batteries, of Fig. 6 is a'horizontalsection on the line which the following is a description. G6 of Fig. 5.

My invention relates generally tomeans My improved autOInatiC Switch isillus- 10 for charging storage batteries, and partictrailed n ig 3 t0 6in l sive. Referring ularly to apparatus and a system forchargparticularly to these figures, atlO is shown a ing such batteriesin which one or more supporting member which may be made of a rectifyingdevices are employed to convert single piece of sheet metal and whichhas a alternating current into uni-directional curhorizontal portion 11,portions 12 and 13 15 rent which is supplied to the battery to extendingvertically upward, and a horizoncharge the same. In a system of thischartal portion 14 extending outwardly from the acter it is desirable toprovide means for pp r d 0f he Vertical POItiOII 13- The preventingdischarge of the storage battery supporting member 10 supports the partsof through the rectifying devices or other my imp v automatic Switch andmay be 20 parts of the system in case of failure of secured to anysuitable base member 15. If

current supply from the source or in case the base member 15 isof'conducting mateof abnormal decrease in voltage of the same. rial, thesupporting member 10 is preferably @ne of the bjects of my invention ithe insulated therefrom, but if the base member provision oran automaticswitch constitut- 1 is of insulating material, further insulat- 25 ingsimple and eiiicient means for this puring means are not necessary insecuring the pose. Another 'object or" my invention is supporting member10 to the base member the provision of apparatus constituting a 1 On thehorizontal portion 1i 0f h complete charging set capable of beingcomsupporting member 10 a solenoid is mounted, pactly assembled andmounted, and adapted which includes a vertically disposed hollow 30 tobe connected to a suitable source of alterspool 16 Which may be made 0fme a and is Hating current and to a storage battery for preferablynon-magnetic, and which is secharging the same. My invention includescured to the portion 14 in any suitable manalso the combinations ofelements and denet, as for exampie, by soldering. The spool tails ofconstruction more fully described 16 is provided with a high resistancesole- 35 hereinafter and claimed. noid winding 17 suitably insulatedfrom the lily cope-riding applications Serial No. spool. 1n the hollowcore of the spool a 136,781, filed December 13, 1916, and Serial plungeris provided, the lower portion 18 of No. 136,782, filed December 13,1916, are wiich consists of magnetic material and is divisions hereofand contain claims coverpreferably of soft iron, and the upperpor- .0ing the automatic switch device. tion 19 of which consists ofnon-magnetic For the further description of my invenmaterial, such asbrass or copper, preferably tion, reference is had to the drawingsachollowed out to reduce its weight. The upconipai'iying and part ofthis speciper ncn-n netic portion of the plunger is Ff. ncation, d inwhich provided 1th a shoulder 20 or other suitable i is partly diagrmmatic view means for "rotting the downward movement of a chargingsystem inciud a compl of the 3 also with a vertical slot 10o nventioncore 522 alternating current or sect c ar "1 0; set embodying my lpasses a pin 21 soldered .c a .L necteu to a source ii any other s ablemanner to spool 16 serving to limit movement c )iunger. In

" device which is. prefer roved system;

Y impror ger to rise position v iich e-qnilibri ror carried by 1 thedevice, tne pin 21 per 1% 23 secured thereto to prevent the plunger fromcoming into electrical contact with the metallic member 56 upon which itimpinges when it moves into lowered position.

n the upwardly extending vertical portion 13 of the supporting memberand be neath the portion 14, horizontal electromagnets are mounted, thesaid elective-mag nets compr'is'ing'iiiagnetic cores 24 and 25,

one end of each core being secured to the portion 13 in any suitablemanner, as for example, by screws, the core 24: having a winding 26surrounding it and insulated therefrom, and the core having a winding 2?surrounding it and insulated therefrom. The ends of the cores 2t and 25which are farthest from the'portion 13 are provided with projecting pinsof non-magnetic material constituting guides for an armature 30 or softiron which is elongated in torn and has openings near its ends toreceive the guides 28 29. The armature 3}) is pro vided with a member 31preferably of magnetic material secured. at right angles thereto andextending horizontally through an opening 32 in the upright portion 13,the aid upright portion 13 thereby constiiuting a guide ror the member31 (En the portion. of the member 31 which extends throur uprightportion 13 a collar 33 able means provided for lire nioveine. t or onearnature 30 away fro cores 2% of electro-inagnc (in the up irdlyextending portio he support member it) a contact 3% is mounted andsuitably insulated there rein. '7" he contact su face of this contact fas the end or the nienioer 31 whici' the opening on the up, verticalport'- ly ar ente" o. The contact 3 is or bloclr eri w p on closedposition The portion 38 of the spring contact 3? is secured to theupwardly extending vertical portion by any suitable means, as forexample, a bolt and nut 40. At the end of the portion 38 an inturnedprojection 42 is provided which cooperates with a slot ll in the uprightportion 12 to position the contact against rotary displacement aroundthe bolt 40. The head of the bolt l0 cooperates with a washer to connectthe contact in circuit. The end of the portion 39 of the spring contact37 is split into a plurality of parts which constitute contact facescooperating with the contact 34, and insure adequate contact therewith.Un' account of the reslllency of the spring contact 37', the

portions 38 and 39 tend to spring out of parallelism with the elongatedportion of the spring, whereby the portion 39 is moved away from thecontact 34 as is illustrated in 4. ll hen, however, the windings 26 and27 are energized, the armature 30 is attracted toward the cores 2% and25, and the contacts 37 and 3% are forced into closed position by theend of the member 31. It is to be observed that the entire length of thespring contact 37, including he bent back portion 39, is effective inexerting pressure against the actuating member 31, and that, on accountoi the shape of the spring, this pressure is when the armature 3G is inconwith or nearest the cores 2-iand 25. The back portion 39 contributesaterially to forcing th armature 39 away irom the cores, whicheffectually overcomes any tendency oi the iature to stic r to the cores.A isolating material 4-3 has one he under side of the horizonno servesas a supper I a hollow tube v nch is inle, brass,

wt and enter c with cont lower end into contact with the contact 45. Abracket 54 is held in place on the insulating plate 43 by the cylinder44, the lower end of the cylinder being extended through a portion ofthe bracket lying on the upper surface of the insulating plate 43. Thebracket 54 is insulated from the horizontal supporting portion 14 by theinsulating plate 43. The bracket 54 is provided with lugs 55, upon whichan elongated member 56 of light weight, which may be made of fairlystifl sheet metal, is pivotally supported. -The member 56 has an openingthrough which the lower end of the member 52 passes loosely, and nuts 53are provided at the lower end of the member 52 and beneath the elongatedmember 56 in such a manner that the elongated member 56 is supported inan approximately horizontal position and its free end is locatedimmediately beneath the insulating block 23 of the plunger 18. Uponfailure of current or abnormal decrease in current strength.of the coil17, the plunger 18 drops by gravity and impinges upon the free end ofthe pivoted member 56, thereby depressing the member 52 against theaction of the spring 59 and separating the contacts 45 and 51. Thebracket 54 is provided with a screw and washer 58 for connecting thebracket in circuit. It will be observed that the bracket 54 is inelectrical connection with the tube 44 and the contact 51.

In Fig. 1, in which a complete charging set embodying my invention isillustrated, 72 and 73 are terminals adapted to be connected toalternating current mains and 71 respectively which are supplied withalternating current from any suitable source. Terminals 84 and 85 areprovided, which are adapted to be connected to a storage battery and areshown connected to the storage battery 86. At 74 and 75 respectively areshown the primary and secondary of a. transformer, suitably designed totransform the current from the source 70 and 71 to a voltage suitablefor charging the storage battery. The terminal 72 is connected to'ajunction point 76, to which one terminal of the primary winding 74 isconnected. The other terminal of the primary winding is connected to oneterminal of an adjustable rheostat 7 8, the other terminal of therheostat being connected to a junction point 77 The junction point 77 isconnected to a contact 79 of a double pole manually operated switch 82',which is provided with a contact 80-adapted to be connected-to thecontact 79 by the switch blade 81 and with contacts 87 and 88 adapted tobe connected together by When the switch 82 is closed, the primary" theswitch blade 89. Switch blades 81 and 89 are provided with a commonhandle for opening and closing the switch. The switch contact 80 is.connected to the terminal 73.

74 of the transformer is connected across the or more, soft ironarmatures 61 and 62 are pivotally mounted at their lower ends on thepermanent magnet or on a suitable frame which may also be used forsupporting the magnet. Armatures 61 and 62 are provided at their upperends with suitable contacts 63 and 64 respectively which are preferablyof carbon. The vibrating contacts 63 and 64 coiiperate with thestationary contact 65. Surrounding the armatures 61 and 62 is anactuating coil 66; When the actuating coil is supplied with alternatingcurrent an alternating magnetic flux is set up in the soft ironarmatures 61 and 62, making of their upper ends alternately north andsouth poles. When the upper ends of the armatures are north poles, thesouth pole of the permanent magnet is strengthened and the north pole isweakened, and vice versa. The armatures are therefore vibrated insynchronism with the alternating current in the actuating coil and openand close a circuit containing the stationary contact 65 and thevibrating contacts 63 and 64. The vibrating contacts 63 and 64 areconnected together through the armatures and their supporting means,including the permanent magnet or the frame. In the system illustrated,the actuating coils of the devices A, B, C and D are connected in seriesby a conductor extending from the junction point 76 through a condenser83 to the junction point 77. The actuating coils are therefore connectedin series across the terminals 72 and 73 and across the alternatingcurrent mains 70 and 71 when the terminals 72 and 73 are connected tothe mains. The condenser 83 is adjusted so as to ad'- vance the phase ofthe current in the actuating coils to a suflicient extent to compensatefor the inductance of the coils and for the inertia of the armatures,and to insure the making and breaking of the rectifying circuits at theproper times to reduce or substantially prevent sparking. One terminalof thesecondary 75 is connected by conduc tor 90 to the terminal 84which is connected to the storage battery 86, and the other terminal ofthe secondary 7 5 is connected by a conductor 67 to the spring contact37 of the ductor 93 to the armatures and vibrating of the mauuaiiyoperated switch by' means conductor 92. The contact 8? of the manuallyoperated switch is connect ed to the teriuinai 85 by conductor 91;;the

teriuiriai being connected the storage battery 86. The Winding 17 oi thesoiehoirl j is coune ted between the junction points '7 and '2'? ant isherefore connected across the terminals 62 and 2-5 and alternatingUhifiilt mains "i arm '41 connected thereto through.

switch biade 81 of ilunilfiiiy operated switch 89. The8iQCi710-Iiifigi1@Z windings 26 and are connected in series across thebattery terminals and in series with contacts if 51, the circuit beingas toiioWs:-ifroin ter- 8-ithrougii conductor to magnet \iinfililg :27,through magnet winding 26, couducor 95, bracket cyiiiider 1 coretactfil, cont ct 4-5, co ductor the conduc- 3 V in eiect lea].connection iii 11 .tac'ts of rectityi ig devices i r contacts are ineiectricai counection terminal 85 through conductor 92, switch contact88, switch blade switch con act 8? r d conductor 91. The c; c. with oithe system iscs i0Wfi3 ti es th I Z12 T3; co nected retains it and 7t.suppiied trim alternating current and the si itch 82 is ciosed, thesolenoid winding 17 is energized, the core 18 is elevated upperpositiou, and the con Lets arid 51 are per miied close. theiuaguet iiiiidiugs the and 2'5 are then energized psicattery, the armature '30 1Sattraoteo-tothe cores 2d and 25, cortects 3'7 and 3-: are closed by theaction ct the ieinber cured to the armature 30, the

is in circuit with ther tii yi",

, i. J3 A. The tHflMittUfQS or is r 85, through conductor 91, switchcontact 3?, switch blade 89, switch contact 88, conductor '92,

rectifying devices 1B and D. At this point the current divides, onebeing through cont cts armaturcs oi rectifying device U, throuchconductor 68 contacts ard core 18 elevated contact with I membercontacts eitlaiid to, thereby closing the circuit through the magnetwindings 2b to the fired contacts of armatures of rectityiu conductor93*; the ther oath being through contacts and armatures of -ecti yidevice D, conductor 69, contacts and armasures of rectifying device C,to conduc 93, and uniting with the other branch of the circuit, andthence through conductor 93 to iiXGCi automatic sw tch. contact Set,spring contact 3?, coiidu 67, and back to the right hand end of teeseconoary 75 of the transformer. In this manner uni rectiouai currentsupplied to the battery charge the same, and the strength of thecharging current may be reguiated by the adjust abie rheostat 78 incircuit with the primary 7%; of the transformer. hiie the battery isbeing charged, the rectniyiiig system operates with the in supplyingcurupor thmember 56, and separating contact :trom contact against theaction of the spring. 59, the tension of spring 59 and Weights otthmember and the piunger of the scieii being properly proportioned toproouce this result. The separation oi contacts and to causes thecircuit through the magnet windings F26 .and z? to be broken, and theresiliency of the contact 37 forces th armature 39 away from its coreand separa es contact from contact 3%, thereby breaking the circuitbetween the battery and the rec tii'yiug devices, aud preventing anypossible discha e from the battery through the reci devices. /hencurrent comes on again 7 he mains TO and 71 or the Voitage rises to therequ red amount, the solenoid winding 1'? is immediately energized, thethe 5b, permitting the closing of and 27, which causes the cores 2% andto atarroature and thereby close con- 8'3' agaiust'coiitact 34-, thusreestabiishing the connection between the rectifying devices and thestorage battery. @bviousiy, opening the perated switch 82 deenergisesthe soieooid Winding 17 and causes battery circuit to be opened contacts37 and Furthermore, when the hand operated switch 82 is opened, there isno sparking; at the contacts oi the automatic switch because thecircuits broken first at the hand operated switch.

having the plunger 18 disconnected from the contact which it is tooperate, the evil effects of char ring, which are iiabie to occur inalternating current apparatus, are obviated. That portion of the devlce1ncluding the solenoid winding 17 and the contacts 45 and 51 acts as arelay for the electromagnets 26 and 27 which control contacts 34 and37'carrying large currents. In my improved apparatus I am enabled tocombine sensitiveness and positiveness of action, and no chatteringwhatever occurs.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new therein anddesire to protect by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. In a system of the class described, the

maintaining the connection of the battery,

to the rectifying means while the voltage of the source is in excess ofa predetermined value and for breaking the connection when the voltageof the source falls below said value, substantially as described.

3. In a system of the class described, the combination of a storagebattery and means for charging the same, including a source ofalternating current, rectifying means, a manually operated switch, andan automatic switch governed by the voltage of the source forcontrolling the connection and disconnection of the battery andrectifying means,

said automatic switch bein operable to connect the battery and rectiying means only when the manually operated switch is closed,substantially as described.

4. In a system of the class described, the combination of a storagebattery and means for charging the same, including a transformer havingprimary and secondary windings, rectifying means, an auton1atic switchhaving a winding supplied with current from the primary and havingcontacts controlled by said switch winding for making and breakingconnection between the battery and the rectifying means, and a manuallyoperated switch for controlling the automatic switch circuit and thebattery connection, substantially as described.

5. In a system of the class described, the

combination of a storage battery and means for supplying unidirectionalcurrent thereto, including a source of current, rectifying means, andmeans for automatically establishing connection between said storagebattery and said rectifying means whenever a predetermined electricalcondition exists in said source, substantially as described.

6. In a system of the class described, the combination of a storagebattery and means for charging the same, including a source ofalternating current, rectifying means, and contacts for makingandbreaking connection between the battery and the rectifying means, saidcontacts being automatically moved relatively to each other into circuitmaking or breaking position according to the electrical condition ofsaid source, substantially as described.

7 In a system of the class described, the I combination of a storagebattery and means for charging the same, including a source ofalternating current, a transformer, rectifying means, a connectionbetween the rectifying means and the battery, a connection between thetransformer and the source of current, anautomatic switch having awinding supplied with alternating current from the source and havingcontacts controlled by said winding in the connection between thebattery and the rectifying means, and a manually operated switch forsimultaneously controlling said connections and the automatic switchwinding, substantially as described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 14th day of 'June 1912.

. SAM G. LANGLEY. Witnesses-z HENRY LANAHAN, ANNA R. KL'EHM.

